After “really, really ridiculously good looking” performances from Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner at the 2025 US Open, the “New Two” found themselves back in their third-straight Grand Slam final—and Ben Stiller and Christine Taylor were thrilled to be on hand to watch.
Having grown up in New York City, Stiller is no stranger to the US Open, or tennis fandom for that matter. The actor and director, along with his wife and fellow actress, Taylor, have spent years cheering on some of the tennis greats, from Rafael Nadal, Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic to Sinner and Alcaraz.
Before heading into the 2025 US Open men’s singles final on Sunday afternoon, Stiller and Taylor stopped to chat with USOpen.org about the current state of tennis, their favorite moments on Ashe and more.
Q: We’re in the midst of an apparent “Sincaraz” rivalry. How does it feel to be watching this competition unfold, especially in person today?
Christine Taylor: I was just saying, as we were walking in, that it's so exciting for tennis that we already have this new rivalry. I just watched that French Open, and you know it was painstaking and so exciting, and then for it to happen again in Wimbledon—I know it wasn’t quite as insane of a match—but for this to be their third Grand Slam in a row is just beyond exciting. I can't wait to see what the years are going to be ahead, with both of them.
Ben Stiller: I think we're really fortunate to have seen this develop so quickly. And that they have so much time ahead of them for this rivalry to go on and on. They're just both so good.
I was expecting a little bit more of a period of just random people winning and not really knowing who to follow or who to get excited about, but it's amazing to see players that young, at that level. Of course, it reminds me of back when the ‘Big Three’ [Federer, Nadal and Djokovic] were starting out too. So you feel like, 'oh there's another great era coming to us.'
Q: Neither of you are strangers to the Open. Are there any matches, looking back, that have stuck with you?
Christine Taylor: It was Federer-Djokovic in the [2011] semifinal. Roger was winning and Djokovic sparked the crowd and made this huge comeback … It really felt like the whole crowd was for Roger. And then Novak fed off of the energy for Roger, and he came back and he won it … that was really incredible to witness.
Ben Stiller: And then this year, being able to see Djokovic and Taylor Fritz up close. It just never gets old to be able see players that good, that close, and see Djokovic make this run to the semis.
Christine Taylor: And the love for Djokovic, and the love for his longevity.
Q: Considering both of your professional lives, are there any parallels you notice from watching the action unfold in Ashe and watching scenes unfold from behind, or in front of, the camera?
Ben Stiller: I think there are a lot of parallels. Sports are so much more absolute. It becomes about winning or losing, at the end of the day. But in terms of players' momentum, confidence and interaction with another player, even though they're competing, there is something about tennis where it's a back and forth. Responding and reacting to what the other player is doing. And I think that is kind of what acting is about.
It's about listening and watching your scene partner and what's coming at you. That metaphor is used a lot when you're working, about playing tennis with another actor, going back and forth, and going off of what they're giving you.
Christine Taylor: On the flip side of that, you are just sort of alone and in your own head sometimes as an actor … sometimes you can get down on yourself if you feel like you didn't get enough takes and didn’t have enough chances. You can kind of like leave with this feeling, ‘Could I have done something differently?’
Ben Stiller: The other parallel, with being on your own as an actor … you step out there and you get in front of the camera, you're doing your scene, you're with other actors, but ultimately, you have to do it on your own. I think about when I watch players go out there, they have the coaches and the staff and the support, but ultimately, you just have to deliver and figure it out.
Q: Thinking about Mark Scout’s character in your hit-show “Severance,” who do you think Mark Scout would root for in tennis? And who do you think Mark S. would root for?
Ben Stiller: Oh, interesting. Mark S. might be more of an Alcaraz guy and Mark Scout might be more of a Rafa guy, because Mark S. is younger and Mark Scout is older. Mark S. has only been alive for like a couple of years really.
